Down spout guard made from non-woven material

ABSTRACT

A guard for preventing debris from entering a downspout of a rain gutter is provided. The guard includes a piece of non-woven material having a top surface, and a plurality of cross-sections that increase in area toward the top surface. The cross sections are generally complementary to an opening of the downspout. The material is adapted to extend at least partially into the downspout. The increase in area of the cross-sections toward the top surface prevents the material from being over-inserted into the downspout opening.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)

This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 10/920,528, filed Aug. 18, 2004, which is acontinuation-in-part of International Application No.PCT/U.S.2004/000545, filed Jan. 12, 2004, which claims the benefit ofU.S. Provisional Application No. 60/439,993, filed Jan. 14, 2003.

BACKGROUND

Many types of devices are known for preventing rain gutters anddown-spouts from becoming clogged with leaves and/or other blown debris.

One known device is formed of a wire mesh which is inserted into thedown spout opening of a rain gutter. The wire mesh prevents leaves orother debris from entering the downspout. While this does not eliminatethe need to clean gutters, it does prevent downspouts from becomingplugged which can result in gutters overflowing, freezing or leakingback into the soffit under the roof overhang.

It has also been known to cover a rain gutter with a mesh or with asolid sheet material leaving only a small gap at the edge of the gutterfor water to enter. While this is somewhat effective, it prevents accessfor cleaning. Although such products greatly reduce the need forcleaning, it is still inevitable that some debris enters the gutter andthat periodic cleaning may be necessary.

It would be desirable to provide a device for preventing downspouts ofrain gutters from overflowing that is inexpensively produced, can beeasily removed and reinstalled for cleaning, and which will notdeteriorate quickly based on exposure to moisture, UV radiation andgeneral atmosphere conditions.

SUMMARY

Briefly stated, the present invention provides a non-woven mesh guardwhich can be inserted into a downspout opening in a rain gutter in orderto prevent debris from entering the downspout. Preferably, the non-wovenmesh includes a large free area to allow for the flow of watertherethrough while preventing debris from entering the downspout. It isalso possible to increase the free area for the flow of water whileallowing small pieces of debris to be carried out of the downspoutthrough a plurality of small channels extending through the guard.Anchor pins may be installed in the guard to prevent it from beingforced too far down into the downspout opening. Alternatively, thenon-woven material may also be formed such that it includes an enlargedtop portion which rests in the base of the gutter over the downspoutopening while a reduced size portion is inserted into the downspout. Itis also possible to form a handle directly in the non-woven meshmaterial which forms the guard to allow for easier gripping for bothinstallation and removal as well as increased penetration area fordraining water therethrough.

In another aspect of the invention, a debris shedding fence is anchoredto the guard and sits in the rain gutter upstream from the downspoutopening. The debris shedding fence prevents large debris from reachingthe guard.

In yet another aspect of the invention, the guard includes a piece ofnon-woven material having a top surface, and a plurality ofcross-sections that increase in area toward the top surface. The crosssections are generally complementary to an opening of the downspout. Thematerial is adapted to extend at least partially into the downspout. Theincrease in area of the cross-sections toward the top surface preventsthe material from being over-inserted into the downspout opening.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description ofthe preferred embodiments of the invention, will be better understoodwhen read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purpose ofillustrating the invention, there is shown in the drawings embodimentswhich are presently preferred. It should be understood, however, thatthe invention is not limited to the precise arrangement shown.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a guard in accordance with the inventionbeing installed in a rain gutter downspout.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a guard inaccordance with the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a third embodiment of a guard inaccordance with the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a side view of a barbed support pin used in conjunction withthe guard shown in FIGS. 1 and 3.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view through a fourth embodiment of a guardin accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view through a fifth embodiment of a guardin accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a debris shedding fence used inconjunction with the guard shown in FIG. 8.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the fourth embodiment of the guard inaccordance with the present invention installed in a rain gutterdownspout and the debris shedding fence installed in the rain gutter.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a sixth embodiment of a guard inaccordance with the present invention, installed in a rain gutterdownspout.

FIG. 10 is an elevational view of the guard shown in FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is a top plan view thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)

Certain terminology is used in the following detailed description forconvenience only and is not considered limiting. The word “upper” and“lower” designate directions in the drawings to which reference is made.Additionally, the terms “a” and “one” are defined as including one ormore of the referenced item unless specifically noted. As used herein,“generally complementary” refers to a shape that generally correspondsto a mating shape, while allowing for the possibility of an interferencefit based on the material properties of one or both shapes as well asthe possibility of providing void areas within the one shape or along asurface of the one shape at the interface with the mating shape.

Referring now to FIG. 1, a first preferred embodiment of a guard 10 foruse in connection with a rain gutter downspout is shown. The guard 10 isformed from a piece of non-woven matting, such as that described in theinventors' prior U.S. Pat. No. 5,167,579, which is incorporated hereinby reference as if fully set forth. Other types of non-woven matting maybe utilized. However, the matting described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,167,579has proven successful in outdoor roof ridge vent applications and isresistant to both UV and moisture. The non-woven material has a largenet free area of at least 60%, and preferably over 70%, and is formed offilaments which are randomly spun together and adhered in placeutilizing an adhesive binder.

In the first preferred embodiment, the guard 10 includes a notch 12which acts as a handle on an upper portion of the guard 10. Preferably,anchor pins 14 are installed which rest upon the bottom of the raingutter 16 to prevent the guard 10 from being over-inserted into theopening 18 for the downspout 20. The guard 10 may be made from twopieces of non-woven material which are glued, laminated or otherwiseconnected together in order to form a guard 10 having a desiredthickness. The notch 12 is preferably cut utilizing an abrasive cuttingwheel. However, other cutting methods may be utilized in order to formthe notch 12. In use, a user would grip the upper portion of the guard10. The support pins 14 may be pre-installed or installed in position bythe user either prior to or after inserting the bottom portion of theguard 10 into the opening 18 for the downspout 20. If the guard 10 needsto be removed for cleaning, it can be gripped by the notch 12 whichprovides a hand grip area in order to remove the guard 10 from thedownspout opening 18. Alternatively, it would be possible to attach ahandle or pull string to the top of the guard 10.

As shown in FIG. 4, preferably the support pins 14 are serrated so thatthey do not become dislodged from the non-woven material of the guard 10after they have been installed. Preferably, the support pins 14 are madeof copper or stainless steel to resist corrosion. However, othermaterials may be utilized.

Referring to FIG. 2, a second embodiment of the guard 30 is shown. Theguard 30 is also made of the non-woven material, as described above, andincludes an upper lip 32 on at least one side, and preferably on bothsides to prevent the guard 30 from being over-inserted into the gutter.Preferably, a handle 34 is connected to the top of the guard 30. Thehandle 34 may be a loop of nylon or other suitable material and may besemi-rigid such that the loop extends upward and remains in an openposition in order to allow the guard 30 to be removed using an extensionpole having a hook without the need for a ladder.

Referring to FIG. 3, a third embodiment of the guard 40 is shown. Theguard 40 in accordance with the third embodiment of the invention issimilar to the guard 10 except that the notch 12 has been omitted.

In the preferred embodiments described above, the lower portion of theguards 10, 30, and 40 are sized to be slightly greater than the opening18 for a downspout so that they are installed with a slight interferencefit. Since the non-woven material utilized to make the guards 10, 30,and 40 is compressible, this ensures that the guards 10, 30, and 40remained anchored in position in the downspouts. The guards 10, 30, 40are provided in different shapes and sizes that are generallycomplementary to known gutter/downspout configurations.

Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, additional embodiments of the guards 50 and60 are shown and can also include one or more channels 52, 62 extendinggenerally longitudinally along the sides of and/or through the guard 50,60. This allows for an increased volume of water to flow through theguard 50, 60 and down the downspout, and also allows for smaller debristo be carried through the guard and out of the downspout by the water,while preventing larger debris from clogging the downspout. This higherflow through rate of the water also helps to clear small debris from themesh material. In a preferred embodiment, the combined area of thechannel(s) is no larger than about 25% of the cross-sectional area ofthe downspout. In a more preferred embodiment, the combined area of thechannel(s) is between 5% and 20% of the area of the downspout. In themost preferred embodiments, the combined area of the channel(s) isbetween 10% and 15% of the area of the downspout.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the channels 52, 62 are located at an outeredge of the guards 50, 60 such that the channels are located against thewall of the downspout. However, it is possible to place the channelsthrough the center of the guard 50, 60, or any other location on theguard 50, 60.

The guards 50, 60 are provided in different shapes and sizes and aregenerally complementary to known gutter/downspout configurations.

Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8, an additional embodiment of the invention isshown which utilizes the guard so in combination with a debrisblocking/shedding fence 70. The fence 70 has a grid portion 72 and anattachment portion 74, generally in the form of a spike. The fence 70attaches to the guard 50 by inserting the attachment portion 74 into theportion of the guard 50 which protrudes from the opening 18 of thedownspout 20. Once assembled, the grid portion 72 rests in the raingutter 16 and prevents large debris from reaching the guard 50 in theopening 18 of the downspout 20, while still allowing water and smallerdebris to pass through. The fence 70 also allows for debris to spillover the side walls of the rain gutter 16 in the event that too muchdebris is collected against the fence 70.

While the fence 70 is shown standing generally vertically in the raingutter 16, in the embodiment shown, it will be recognized by thoseskilled in the art that the fence 70 can be angled, for example a 60°angle, in order to further enhance the debris shedding capability of thefence guard 70.

As shown, the fence guard 70 is placed in the rain gutter 16 with itshorizontal edge facing down to complement the horizontal floor of therain gutter 16. The fence guard 70 can also be placed with its curvededge facing down to complement rain gutters with curved bottoms. Thegrid portion 72 is made such that pieces can be easily broken off, asdesired, to account for varying dimensions in different rain gutterdesigns. This allows the debris shedding fence 70 to be manufactured asa single item that can then be adapted to any number of various gutterconfigurations.

As an alternate to the pins 14, which are installed on each of the foursides of the guards 10 and 40, two pins having greater lengths may beutilized that are inserted all the way through the guard such that eachpin extends through two opposing sides. Alternatively, the pins 14 canbe omitted entirely.

FIGS. 9-11 illustrate a further embodiment of the invention. As shownmost clearly in FIG. 10, guard 80 may include a substantially taperedpiece of non-woven material includes a plurality of respectivecross-sections 82, 84, 86, 88 that are generally complementary to anopening of the downspout 20, the material being adapted to extend atleast partially into the downspout as shown in FIG. 9.

More specifically, the piece of non-woven material of guard 80 includesa top surface 82, and a plurality of stepped cross sections 84, 86, 88,90 that increase in area toward the top surface 82, as shown in FIG. 10.(In the example illustrated in FIG. 10, cross section 84 has thesmallest area, and cross section 90 has the largest area.) Each steppedcross section 84, 86, 88, 90 has a respective substantially horizontalabutment surface 84A, 86A, 88A, 90A. The increase in area of the steppedcross-sections 84, 86, 88, 90 toward the top surface 82 prevents thematerial from being over-inserted into the downspout opening 18. (Inview of the representation of the downspout opening 18 in FIG. 1, itwill be understood that the downspout opening 18 is hidden from view inFIG. 9.)

In other words, the generally tapered shape of the non-woven materialfacilitates insertion of the guard 80 into the downspout opening 18.When a stepped cross section 84, 86, 88, 90 with an area that is greaterthan an area of the downspout opening 18 meets the downspout opening 18,however, its respective substantially horizontal abutment surface 84A,86A, 88A, 90A contacts a bottom surface 92 of the rain gutter, therebypreventing the material from being over-inserted into the downspoutopening 18.

The guard 80 may further include one or more channels 102 extendingthrough the non-woven material as described above with reference toguards 50 and 60. The configuration and function of the channels 102 ofguard 80 are virtually the same as those of guards 50 and 60, exceptthat the channels 102 of guard 80 typically extend generallylongitudinally along the sides or outer edges of each cross section 84,86, 88, 90 (as shown in FIGS. 9-11) and/or through the guard 80 (notshown).

As described above with reference to guards 10 and 30, guard 80 mayinclude a handle for removing the guard 80 from an installed position inthe downspout 20. The handle may be formed as a recess 12 in thenon-woven material (as illustrated in FIG. 1), or may include a loop 34connected to the non-woven material (as illustrated in FIG. 2). Theconfiguration and function of each handle of guard 80 are virtually thesame as those of guards 10 and 30.

Guard 80 may also be utilized in combination with a debrisblocking/shedding fence 70 as described above with reference to FIGS. 7and 8.

As described above with reference to guards 10, 30, 40, 50, and 60,guard 80 is provided in different shapes and sizes that are generallycomplementary to known gutter/downspout configurations. In the exampleillustrated, the top plan view of FIG. 11 shows that the general shapeof the top cross section 90 is rectangular (as is the general shape ofthe remaining cross sections 84, 86, 88). The length L of each crosssection 84, 86, 88, 90 may be approximately three inches, four inches,five inches, and six inches, respectively. The height H of each crosssection 84, 86, 88, 90 may be approximately two to three inches. Thepresent invention, however, is not limited to these dimensions. Thestepped cross sections 84, 86, 88, 90 of guard 80 may be dimensioned, asdesired, to accommodate various downspout configurations.

The guard 80 illustrated in FIG. 10 includes four stepped cross sections84, 86, 88, 90. The present invention, however, is not limited to fourcross sections, and a guard 80 may be manufactured to include any numberof stepped cross sections, as desired, as long as the area of at leastone of the cross sections is greater than the area of the applicabledownspout opening. Alternatively, guards 80 may be manufactured with apredetermined standard number of stepped cross sections and the user maythen remove (by cutting) any number of stepped cross sections, asdesired, for a particular downspout configuration.

An alternative to the stepped configuration of the guard 80 is for thetaper to be substantially smooth in shape (not shown). The principle ofpreventing the material from being over-inserted into the downspoutopening 18, as described above with reference to the stepped crosssection configuration, applies for a smoothly tapered guard 80 as well.

The non-woven material utilized to make the guards 10, 30, 40, 50, 60,80 is provided in large sheets from a webber, and may be formed to adesired thickness and then cut to size utilizing suitable means, such asan abrasive wheel cutter. Multiple pieces of the non-woven material mayalso be joined together in order to form the required thickness for aguard 10, 30, 40, 50, 60, 80.

While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been described indetail, the invention is not limited to the specific embodimentsdescribed above which should be considered as merely exemplary. Furthermodification and extensions of the present invention may be developed,and all such modifications are deemed to be within the scope of thepresent invention as defined by the appended claims.

1. A guard for preventing debris from entering a downspout of a raingutter, the guard comprising: a substantially tapered piece of non-wovenmaterial comprising a plurality of respective cross-sections that aregenerally complementary to an opening of the downspout, the materialbeing adapted to extend at least partially into the downspout.
 2. Theguard of claim 1, further comprising one or more channels extendingthrough the non-woven material.
 3. The guard of claim 1, furthercomprising a handle formed from a recess in the non-woven material. 4.The guard of claim 1, further comprising a handle formed from a loopconnected to the non-woven material.
 5. The guard of claim 1, furthercomprising a fence guard comprising a grid portion resting in the raingutter and an attachment portion inserted into the non-woven material.6. A guard for preventing debris from entering a downspout of a raingutter, the guard comprising: a piece of non-woven material comprising atop surface, and a plurality of cross-sections that increase in areatoward the top surface, the cross sections being generally complementaryto an opening of the downspout, and the material being adapted to extendat least partially into the downspout, wherein the increase in area ofthe cross-sections toward the top surface prevents the material frombeing over-inserted into the downspout opening.
 7. The guard of claim 6,wherein the area of at least one of the cross sections is greater thanan area of the downspout opening.
 8. The guard of claim 6, wherein thecross sections are stepped with respect to each other.
 9. The guard ofclaim 8, wherein each stepped cross section comprises a respectivesubstantially horizontal abutment surface, and at least one of thesubstantially horizontal abutment surfaces contacts a bottom surface ofthe rain gutter, thereby preventing the material from beingover-inserted into the downspout opening.
 10. The guard of claim 6,wherein the plurality of cross-sections that increase in area toward thetop surface result in a substantially smoothly tapered piece ofnon-woven material.
 11. The guard of claim 6, further comprising one ormore channels extending through the non-woven material.
 12. The guard ofclaim 11, wherein the channel(s) have a combined area not greater thanabout 25% of a corresponding cross-sectional area of the downspout. 13.The guard of claim 11, wherein the combined area of the channel(s) isbetween 5% and 20% of a cross-sectional area of the downspout.
 14. Theguard of claim 11, wherein the combined area of the channel(s) isbetween 10% and 15% of a cross-sectional area of the downspout.
 15. Theguard of claim 6, further comprising a handle for removing the guardfrom an installed position in the downspout.
 16. The guard of claim 15,wherein the handle comprises a recess formed in the non-woven material.17. The guard of claim 15, wherein the handle comprises a loop connectedto the non-woven material.
 18. The guard of claim 6, further comprisinga fence guard comprising a grid portion resting in the rain gutter andan attachment portion inserted into the non-woven material.
 19. Theguard of claim 6, wherein the non-woven material comprises a syntheticfiber web treated with at least one binding agent.
 20. The guard ofclaim 6, wherein the non-woven material comprises a synthetic fiber webhaving at least a 60% net free area.